


Pansies Which Bloom in Frost

by itsallcontextual



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, also Graves may or may not want to keep him as a pet, mentions of abuse, someone needs to take care of Credence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-09-01 10:55:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8621794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsallcontextual/pseuds/itsallcontextual
Summary: Its just another night where Credence missteps and takes his punishment. He calls out to the universe, to someone. This time though, he had a focus. Graves will not leave him to spend the night alone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my roommate.  
> Because it definitely wasn't 'almost' seductively.

There was a pull. Graves felt it in the center of his breast. Something was calling for him to come. His dark brows pulled slightly down. The street was dark when he apparated into the alleyway. Two of the street lights were out and only one house light at the end of the block remained on. The old church house sat like a decaying tooth in the neighborhood. It pulled shadows closer around itself till they sunk deep into the steel plates that made the siding. Most who would walk past actively looked away, but they could not keep the image from grabbing at the corner of their eye.  

Graves had not been inside the house, had only tracked the boy back to it so he would know where to find him. It was silent and still now. Lady Barebone would insist on early hours so the evils of the night would not enter her door. Graves approached the side where a window looked out towards the building next door. This would be Credence's room. He felt the pull still, steady and centered. Once more he apparated, into the boy's room. The door was shut but there was no lock. The room held little, as bare bones as the family name. Hard wooden floors held no more than a small desk beneath the window, a dresser, and a thin bed pushed up against the wall.  

The line of the boy's back curved tight around his knees. He was dressed fully with his jacket and his black scuffed shoes worn still. The only piece taken off was the thick leather belt that lay coiled by the foot of his bed.  Graves approached softly and knelt beside the bed. He placed his hand on the young man's thigh before the knee. He felt the muscle flinch and pull tighter. "Credence." He spoke softly.  

There was a pause before the boy turned partly toward him. In the little light filtering through the room Graves could spot partially dried tear stains and distant eyes. "Oh my boy." He moved his hand off and placed curled fingers under the boy's eyes, gently swiping with his thumb. Graves leaned his upper body over Credence.  

"Mr. Graves." The voice was shaky.  

"I'm here Credence." 

Credence half reached towards the broad chest, fingers curling back before he could touch. "What are you doing here, Mr. Graves?" He whispered eyes darting past him towards the door and back.  

"You called me here, Credence." He further cupped his hands underneath his jaw, finger tips tucked behind Credence's ear.  

"I-I did?"  

"Yes my boy." He looked him over brows pulling tight. "And I'm glad you did. What has she done to you this time?" 

Credence turned his head down which pushed his nose against Grave's wrist. "It was my fault. I failed to hand out all of my flyers for the last three days and then I was late returning home. There was this hound and I.. I should have returned immediately. I should not have left the flyers on the steps. I should.." 

"Hush now. These are not sins for which punishment is dealt." Graves tightened his hand, digging into the shaking flesh.  

"It was my fault." Now the hand reached fully gripping the lapel of Graves' fine suit. 

"None of that, boy. None of it, do you hear me." He shook him a bit till his dark eyes caught Credence's. It was a moment before he quieted with a small nod that brushed against the inside of Graves' wrist.  

Graves gave him a stern look which forced his eyes away again. "I will not leave you here to stew in your misery tonight." Graves pulled his hand back.  

Credence looked up at him eyes wide and mouth agape, clearly startled. "What?" His voice warbled.  

Graves paid him no mind and tucked Credence's knees over one arm while his other went around his back. He picked him up with little effort which had Credence tightening his grip on the man's suit. Before he could utter a word Graves had apparated.  

The sensation of being pressed so intimately to only pop back into space left Credence shaking. Graves gently lowered Credence's legs till the he was standing. He let the boy keep hold of him and left the arm around his back until he had settled. He ran his free hand through the boy's hair, soothing him. Credence leaned into it breathing evenly as the shakes left him.  Graves stroked his head once more before stepping back. 

They were now standing in the midst of large bedroom painted an old brick red. There were two large windows set into the far side of the wall dressed in heavy curtains. The height of the view outside made it clear that they were in a large downtown apartment. The room was lush yet still understated and overall headily masculine.  

"Let me see what she has wrought." Graves said before he helped him out of his coat and sat the boy on his bed. He hung the coat up while Credence unbuttoned the first few on what was once a crisp white shirt. It had wrinkled under the stress and stretched from sweat. His fingers felt steady but the buttons were resisting the ease it normally took to push them through the buttonholes. Credence was staring down at his fingers blindly when sure fingers brushed against his and took up the task. They were so warm. He took a breath that rattled through his chest and looked up through his bangs at the older man. Graves swiftly undid three more of the buttons before moving his hands beneath his collar and pushing the shirt over his shoulders and down his back were it bunched around Credence's waist and elbows.  

Along the curve of his shoulders and down Credence's midback purple mottled welts were formed. Here and there the skin was broken from where the metal buckle had bit deeper. The (bitch) had not shown any of the mercy she might yet posse. Graves face only tightened miniscule at the left corner of his mouth and at the creases of his eyes. His face was turned away from the boy, so he did not see. He should have long done away with the mother. Only, he still needed her alive. At least for the time being. 

Graves lightly drug his fingertips across the boys back, calluses occasionally catching, as he healed the abuse. Credence's shoulders flared out as the hand passed over, seeking the warmth and comfort. As taunt muscles relaxed Credence slumped forward till his head rested against Graves' lapel.  Graves left the palm of his hand cupping the side of his neck, thumb tucked under the boys chin, and fingers digging into the top of the spine. "My boy, you do not deserve such treatment."  

Credence met his eyes fully for the first time that night. He looked startled. Like all the times Graves had told him that he would take him away from the life meant something different. Graves looked straight and hard. "Do not doubt me." Credence gave a small dip with his head as the hand tightened briefly. 

"Good." Graves straightened up slipping his hand off the boys neck. He looked him once over. "You'll stay for the night."  

"Stay?" Credence said a breath of a word. Then on the next he shrunk back in on himself. "I-I can't mother, please I can't." 

"I will make sure your mother doesn't know. There is no need to worry." 

"How?" 

"Do not concern yourself with it. Know that you will not be harmed because of it." He reached out and stroked his thumb across the swell of his cheek. "Let's get you settled. Off with your shoes and that stained shirt. I will find you another."  

Credence bowed his head to removed his shoes which he tucked neatly at the end of the bed. He paused with his hand on the remaining buttons glancing over at Graves, whose back was turned, before slowly undoing the rest. He folded the shirt and hugged it to his chest, chin tucked down. He looked down at his socked feet, nudging the toe that peeked through a torn hole on his right sock. Graves turned back holding a midnight blue shirt. He ran a warm palm down from the boys shoulder to his elbow soothing the cool pale skin. "Here." He tugged gently at his elbow before easing the blood spotted shirt away and passing over his.  

Credence slipped the shirt on, pushing long arms through the sleeves, the length was fine but once buttoned the shirt hung loosely around him.  In the meantime Graves returned from the bathroom where he had disposed of the shirt and had changed into his sleepwear, which was made in the deepest of purples. He moved to the bed and pulled back the covers before looking over at Credence. He was standing still awkwardly at the side of the bed, arms hung long and unsure at his side. The older man held out his hand with an expectant look. For a brief dreadful moment cold rushed through Credence's gut and his hands ghosted towards the belt he was no longer wearing.  

"It's alright Credence." The warmth in Graves' voice beat back the chill and with a quivering breath he took the step forward. He lightly placed his hand in Graves' warmer one. Gently Graves rubbed his thumb over Credence's knuckles letting the boy fold himself into his space. He put dry lips on the crown of the Credence's head and held there for a moment breathing him in.  "Good boy." Graves guided him into the bed and  beneath the covers. Folding the comforter back over the sight of the young man in his own dark shirt he got into the open side of the bed.  

Graves sat up with his back against the headboard and did not give Credence the chance to lie stiffly on his side of the bed. He wrapped one arm around the boys shoulders and heaved him till he laid against his side. The younger's head pressed into his abdomen with his upper body curled into his lap. He flicked his left hand out and called over the book he had been working on which had laid upon the writing desk. He settled his work on his left side and stroked his right hand along Credence's skull. "Sleep and I will wake you in the morning Credence." 

Credence curled deeper into the embrace. "Thank you." He whispered before closing worn eyes.  

Graves kept the rhythmic petting until the young man's breaths evened out and even after when he still stared blankly down at his pages he kept the movement of his hand. Credence might have no true magic himself but perhaps after his immediate usefulness ran out Graves would not thrust him away. Perhaps he would keep him around for more … personal reasons.


End file.
